Suspension system for vehicles

ABSTRACT

The present suspension system for vehicles includes subframes in the vehicle to which the wheels of the vehicle are pivotally connected and which sub-frames are pivotally connected to the vehicle main frame on an axis extending longitudinally of the vehicle to aid in maintaining the wheels vertical at all times.

United States Patent [1 1 Cunningham, Jr.

111 3,729,210 451 Apr. 24,1973

[ SUSPENSION SYSTEM FOR VEHICLES 22 Filed: May4, 1970 211 App1.No.:34,388

[52] US. Cl. 280/962 R, 180/73 D, 280/112 R,

280/96 [51] Int. Cl ..B60g 3/18 [58] FieldofSearch ..280/112A, 112,111,280/962 R, 96; 180/73 D [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS2,536,769 1/1951 Rix et a1 ..280/112 R 3,408,088 10/1968 Corbin'"280/1l2 R 894,060 7/1908 Ruemelin ..280/1 12 R X s i H iii 46 '1 1 A2,791,440 5/1957 Guidobaldi ..280/1 12 A 3,150,882 9/1964 Corbin..280/112 R 3,261,621 7/1966 Corbin ..280/112 R X FOREIGN PATENTS ORAPPL1CAT1ONS 9/1955 France ..280/112 A 12/1966 Great Britain ..280/1 12A Primary ExaminerKenneth H. Betts Attorney-Linton & Linton [57]ABSTRACT 2 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures Patented April 24, 1973 2Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENIOR.

K AOaEPT ca/v/v/ Patented April 24, 1973 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.fPOBf/FT (A CU/V/V/IVGWAM MA.

* M da SUSPENSION SYSTEM FOR VEHICLES The present invention is concernedwith an improvement in the suspension system for the wheels of avehicle.

The principal object of the present invention is to provide a suspensionsystem for a vehicle wheels which affords a control over changes inwheel alignment during instances of vehicle sideways weight transfer, asfor example, during the cornering of the vehicle providing an improvedrelationship of the wheels with the road surface over those ofconventional vehicles.

A further important object of the present invention is to providesub-frames pivotally connected to the vehicle main frame on an axisextending longitudinally of the vehicle and to which subframes arepivotally attached suspension arms for supporting the wheels so that anyvehicle side roll, as in negotiating a corner, would not directlyinterfere with the movement of said arms so as to misalign them wherebythe wheels will remain in a substantially vertical position and thustheir tires handle their associated operational forces in an improvedmanner. I

Further object of the invention will be in part obvious and in partpointed out in the following detailed description of the accompanyingdrawings, in which,

FIG. 1 is a top view of a vehicle suspension system according to thepresent invention, partly in section.

FIG. 2 is a side view of the suspension system with the right handwheels removed.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken on line 3-3 of FIG. 2,

And FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken on line 4-4 of FIG. 3.

Referring now more in detail to the accompanying drawings wherein likeand corresponding parts are designated by similar reference characters,A designates a vehicle main frame, while B is a steering wheel connectedto universal joint C. Joint C is connected to a shaft D connected touniversaljoint E.

F is the vehicle drive shaft to be connected to a motor (not shown) tobe mounted on main frame A. Universal joint G connects said drive shaftF to a differential H. Universal joints I and K connect saiddifferential H to axles J and L, respectively.

Bridging member 1 is integral with a pair of bulkheads 2 and 3 withbulkhead 2 fixedly attached to the front end of main frame A by welding,bolts or the like.

A bushing 4 extends through bearing 5 mounted in bulkhead 2 and througha side of box-like sub-frame 6. A gear box 7 is positioned in sub-frame6 and has a tubular extension 11 extending through the opposite side ofsub-frame 6 and through bearing 12 mounted in skirt 3.

A shaft 8 is connected to universal joint E and extends through bushing4, gear box 7 and its extension 11. A pinion 9 is fixedly mounted onshaft 8 and meshes with a rack on rod 10. Said rod 10 slideably extendslaterally through box 7.

Coil springs 13 have receptacles 14 at each end thereof.

Rod 10 is connected at one end to knuckle 15 connected in turn to arm 16fixedly attached to spindle 17 carrying stub axle 23 supporting wheel18.

The opposite end of rod 10 is connected to knuckle 19 connected in turnto arm 20 fixedly attached to spindle 21 carrying stub axle 24supporting wheel 22.

A pin 25 pivotally connects an end of suspension arm 26a to sub-frame 6,while pin 27 pivotally connects arm 26a to the bottom bearing forspindle 17. Pin 28 pivotally connects suspension arm 29 to sub-frame 6,while pin 30 pivotally connects arm 29 to the top bearing of spindle 17.Suspension arm 29a is pivotally connected by pin 28a to sub-frame 6 andby pin 30 to the top bearing of spindle 17. A further suspension arm(not shown) is pivotally connected to the rear bottom of said sub-frameand the bottom bearing of spindle 17 in the same manner as arm 26.

Pin 31 pivotally connects suspension arm 32 to subframe 6, while pin 33pivotally connects arm 32 to the bottom bearing for spindle 21. Pin 34pivotally connects suspension arm 35 to sub-frame 6, while pin 36pivotally connects arm 35 to the top bearing of spindle 21.,Suspensionarms 32a and 35a are pivotally connected to said sub-frame 6 by pins 31aand 34a, respectively, and to the bearings for spindle 21 by pins 33 and36, respectively.

Springs 13 surround each of the shock absorbers 38, 41, 60 and 63 withthe spring receptacles 14 attached to the ends of said shock absorbers.

Pin 37 pivotally connects a receptacle 14 and shock absorber 38 tobridging member 1, while pin 39 pivotally connects a second receptacle14 and said shock absorber to the lower bearing for spindle 17. Shockabsorber 41 and its connected receptacles 14 are pivotally connected bypin to bridging member 1 and by pin 42 to the lower bearing ofspindle21.

A second bridging member 43 is integral with bulkheads 44 and 45. Stubshaft 46 pivotally connects bulkhead 44 to an end 48 of a box-likesub-frame 50, while end 47 of sub-frame 50 is pivotally connected bysleeve 46a to bulkhead with drive shaft F extending through sleeve 46a.Universal joints I and K are mounted in openings in opposite sides ofsub-frame 50.

Supports 53 and 53a have universal joints M and N, respectively, towhich are connected axles J and L, respectively. Suspension arms 51 and52 are pivotally connected to the top of subframe and the top of support53 and corresponding suspension arms (not shown) are pivotally connectedto the bottom of subframe 50 and the bottom of support 53.

Suspension arms 55 and 56 are pivotally connected to the top ofsub-frame 50 and the top of support 53a while corresponding suspensionarms 55a and 56a are pivotally connected to the bottom of sub-frame 50and the bottom of support 53a.

A pair of stub axles 57 support wheels 58 and 59, extend throughsupports 53 and 53a and are connected to universal joints M and N.

A shock absorber 60 and its attached receptacles 14 are pivotallyconnected by pin 61 to the lower end of support 53 and to the upperportion of bridging member 43 by pin 62. A second shock absorber 63 andits attached receptacles 14 are pivotally connected by pin to the lowerportion of support 53a and by pin 64 to the upper portion of bridgingmember 43.

The term pin as used herein is meant to include a bolt, threaded endpin, stub axle or the like in a bearing providing a pivotal connectionand nuts mounted thereon.

Turning steering wheel B will move rod 10 and thus the position ofwheels 18 and 22 to steer the vehicle.

Driving drive shaft F will turn wheels 58 and to propel the vehicle. I Iv Bridging members 1 and 43 will normally maintain main frameA'horizontal due to the support of springs 13 which also allow thewheels to move up and down over-the road on bumps.

Sub-frame 6 being pivotally mounted on said bridging member 1 aboutshaft 4 and thus pivotal laterally of main frame A on an axis extendinglongitudinally of the vehicle, will not interfere with the pivoting ofthe inner ends of the suspension arms 26, 29,32,35, 32a, 26a, 29a and35a so as not to misalign them when the vehicle tends to side roll suchas when the vehicle is turning a corner. Therefore the wheels 18 and 22will remain in a substantially vertical or unchanged position withouteffecting wheel camber or track at all times andthus the wheels handletheir associated operational forces in an ideal manner.

Bridging member 43 being pivoted to sub-frame 50 will not interfere withthe pivoting of the inner ends of the suspension arms 51, 52, 55, 56,55a, 51a, 52a and 560 so that the rear driving wheels will tend toremain vertical even should the main frame A tilt when the vehicle isrounding a corner or the like.

lclaim:

1; A vehicle suspension system comprising a main frame, a pair ofbulkheads each having a top portion fixedly connected to an opposite endportion of said main frame, a pair of sub-frames each pivotallyconnected to one of said bulkheads on an axis extending longitudinallyof said vehicle and below said bulkhead top portion, suspension armspivotally connected to said sub-frames, wheels, means for supportingsaid wheels, pivotallyconnected to said suspension arms, shock absorberspivotally connected to said bulkhead top portions'ands'aid supportingmeans, said supporting means including a pair of spindles, a pair ofstub axles each being attached to one of said spindles with one of saidwheels being rotatably mounted on one of said stub axles, bearings forthe ends of said spindles in which said spindles are rotatable, some ofsaid suspension arms being pivotally connected to top and bottomportions of said sub-frames and pivotally connected to the top andbottom portions of said bearings, one of said bulkheads being of aninverted U-shaped configuration having said top portion and downwardlyextending spaced front and rear walls, one of said sub-frames beingbox-like and extending into said bulkhead between said downwardlyextending walls, a shaft rotatably extending through said downwardlyextending walls of said one bulkhead and said one sub-frame providingsaid pivotal support about said longitudinal axis of said sub-frame, asteering column being connected to said shaft and means connecting saidshaft to said spindles for pivoting the same for steering the vehicle.

2. A vehicle suspension system as claimed in claim 1 wherein saidconnecting means includes a pinion fixedly mounted on said shaft andpositioned in said subframe, a rod slideably extends through saidsub-frame and has a rack meshing with said pinion, arms are each fixedlyconnected to one of said spindles and extends laterally therefrom and ispivotally connected to said rod.

1. A vehicle suspension system comprising a main frame, a pair ofbulkheads each having a top portion fixedly connected to an opposite endportion of said main frame, a pair of sub-frames each pivotallyconnected to one of said bulkheads on an axis extending longitudinallyof said vehicle and below said bulkhead top portion, suspension armspivotally connected to said subframes, wheels, means for supporting saidwheels, pivotally connected to said suspension arms, shock absorberspivotally connected to said bulkhead top portions and said supportingmeans, said supporting means including a pair of spindles, a pair ofstub axles each being attached to one of said spindles with one of saidwheels being rotatably mounted on one of said stub axles, bearings forthe ends of said spindles in which said spindles are rotatable, some ofsaid suspension arms being pivotally connected to top and bottomportions of said sub-frames and pivotally connected to the top andbottom portions of said bearings, one of said bulkheads being of aninverted U-shaped configuration having said top portion and downwardlyextending spaced front and rear walls, one of said sub-frames beingboxlike and extending into said bulkhead between said downwardlyextending walls, a shaft rotatably extending through said downwardlyextending walls of said one bulkhead and said one subframe providingsaid pivotal support about said longitudinal axis of said sub-frame, asteering column being connected to said shaft and means connecting saidshaft to said spindles for pivoting the same for steering the vehicle.2. A vehicle suspension system as claimed in claim 1 wherein saidconnecting means includes a pinion fixedly mounted on said shaft andpositioned in said sub-frame, a rod slideably extends through saidsub-frame and has a rack meshing with said pinion, arms are each fixedlyconnected to one of said spindles and extends laterally therefrom and ispivotally connected to said rod.